Much Ado About Nothing

Rarely can I remember so much fuss about the dropping of one player from the squad but it seems that the subject of Roberto Martinez has taken up more column inches in Wales then the departure of Michael Owen to Real Madrid has in Merseyside.

“Shock, Horror” was the reaction on Tuesday night, “Where next” was the Wednesday news, “Jackett not drawn” was what we were told on Thursday and “Roberto Off” is the big news of the day. Excuse me, but did I miss something – footballers get dropped week in week out and we never see this reaction before so why all the hype this time around.

I have said it once and I will say it again – Roberto Martinez was a major factor in us avoiding relegation in 2003/2004. His displays in midfield went a long way to keeping us in the football league and we thanked him for that. However, his displays in the last six months have done little for us and no player can live off reputation alone – ask David Beckham. Quite simply Martinez has not looked the same player since he returned from injury and has become difficult to accomodate. We have a manager who took a gamble and dropped him and it paid off. We have a manager who has told us that he will pick his team on form and not reputation – hoorah – too many managers in the past have done the latter and where has it got us.

Quite simply, no one player has a divine right to be picked week in week out and not produce the goods. At Swansea, the fanbase likes to put players into categories, there are three simple ones

• The Can Do No Wrong – these players do not have to perform week in week out they are excused their performances because they can play well. Three months with no form matters not they should still be picked

• The Can Do No Right – Or the scapegoats as I prefer to call them. Pick up the ball on their own goal-line run round all eleven opposition players twice and score from forty yards. Luck is the way that is described.

• The Dividers – the fans cannot agree – half have them in the first category – half in the second. They are the James Thomas’ of this world and we will never agree on these players merits.

Martinez for many falls into the first of these categories. The can do no wrong. Case your minds back to February and a certain cup tie at Tranmere. Bloke in Swansea shirt, captains armband on. Messes around on the edge of the area, gives ball away in dangerous position, cross sent in – push in area. Penalty given. Many blame Martinez but the real scapegoat for the fans? Mickey Howard who falls into category 2. He can do no right so it’s his fault, cannot blame Martinez so he escapes any blame. Reality is both players are to blame but only one carries the can. Amazing.

But thats in the past but you see where I am coming from? Move forward six months and back into the present. Martinez has been dropped. It is not a national catastrophe as some would like you to believe. It is not bad management as others would like you to believe but it is a decision taken because there are other players on form. Sadly, for many one is Kris O’Leary who is classed by many in the can do no right category. So that makes it the wrong decision, how can the manager do that, how can he sleep at night, what is going on, the club will crumble at any minute. You get the picture on the over reaction. Had Roberto been dropped to accomodate Andy Robinson and Leon Britton in the middle, more could live with that but not Kris, surely not Kris.

Sorry folks but he is the player on form. He ended last season in good form, he started this season in good form. He has his place on merit and the manager has the balls to say that. He knows he will get criticism but instead of past incumbents he has the balls to say “Im doing what is right for the team” because that is his job to do so. And quite right too.

So, this mornings Western Mail drops a hint that Martinez may be on his way. Kenny of course backs this up with nothing concrete whatsoever and merely states that he will sit down with the player to see what he wants. The player himself? He has said nothing.

Quite simply Roberto is a professional footballer. If he believes he has a divine right to be picked each week regardless of form then he can find another club. That may seem harsh but why should anyone have a divine right to a place in the team. However, as a professional I suspect that Roberto will get his head down and work for a place in the team. And when he gets there then he should be hungry to keep that place in the team and we all benefit because of it. No-one can deny that a Roberto at the top of his game will be an asset to us.

If he cannot handle it and chooses to leave then people have to realise that it is not Kenny’s fault. He is doing what managers up and down the country do every week, it’s part and parcel of the game. Better footballers than Roberto have coped with it and they will continue to do so.

So please stop making mountains out of molehills, it’s happened, live with it and accept that it was the right thing to be done. And if someone loses their form then it’s to expect them to be dropped and Roberto to get his chance if he warrants it. We have a squad, we use a squad and I like it that way.